


untitled, 2010

by wildflower (bangtrashsyd)



Series: minimalist memoirs [9]
Category: NU'EST, Produce 101 (TV), Wanna One (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-12
Updated: 2017-10-12
Packaged: 2019-01-01 05:52:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12150003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bangtrashsyd/pseuds/wildflower
Summary: dear diary,today, I met my fellow trainees.and I might have met my best friend too.- H





	untitled, 2010

**SEPTEMBER 2010**

_No control of my body_  
_Ain't I seen you before?_  
_I think I remember those eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes_

 

_'Cause baby tonight,_  
_The D-J got us falling in love again_

Right step and kick. Turn. Side step-

"Excuse me?" 

The boy peering cautiously into the dingy practice room is handsome, Jonghyun observes from the mirror. Except if he had a better choice in fashion. He sees Dongho's lips curl up at the sight of his bright red padded jacket and sighs internally. Glancing at him to make sure he holds his tongue, he walks across the room to turn the radio off. Minki flicks the light switch on and the room brightens.

In the better lighting, Jonghyun sees why the casting team brought this one in. His face is slightly chubby with baby fat, but he can see the potential in him.

"Hi." Aron practices, and Dongho beams at him as the new boy bows back hurriedly.

"Good job, hyung. You're improving." Dongho praises, and their eldest grins.

"What does improving mean?" He asks, and Dongho goes to the little table with the Korean-English dictionary. 

"Ah." Aron says, nodding and trying out the word. The new boy looks vaguely shell shocked. Jonghyun places his cap backwards, pulling back his fringe, and opens his mouth.

"What's your name?" He asks, and the boy jumps slightly.

"My name is Minhyun." He says, voice clear and strong. "And you?"

"I'm Jonghyun. This is Minki, Aron and Dongho. Nice to meet you." Jonghyun smiles gently and holds out a hand. Minhyun takes it, and Jonghyun's fingertips warm. He drops the hand, ushering him in and shutting the door firmly behind the both of them.

**SEPTEMBER 2010**

"Minhyun-ah." Jonghyun ruffles their newest addition's hair. "Come on, wake up."

"Jonghyun-hyung?" Minhyun asks, and Jonghyun rolls his eyes. 

"Drop the hyung, we're born in the same year." He says cheerfully, shutting down the laptop and turning the switch for the air conditioning off. 

 _"What?"_ The boy stumbles to his feet off the couch, the springs protesting loudly. "You had me believe I was younger than you for a month?"

"Be thankful it wasn't a year." Minki teases, hair braided messily thanks to Aron. "We didn't even realise Aron-hyung was older than us."

"I don't care about age." Aron says slowly, and Minki pats his head.

"Our little baby-hyung." Minki coos, and Aron chuckles, pinching his sides to make him laugh. 

"Hurry up." Dongho is zipping into his coat already, hands jammed into the pockets. "The last bus-"

"Okay, okay." Minhyun groans, then skips over. Jonghyun fails to sense him before he wraps him in a hug, lifting him easily off his feet. 

"What the- Let me down!" He commands, slapping at his hands. 

"Jonghyun-ie, Jonghyun-ah, Hyun-ie..." Minhyun blathers on. "I'm going to have so much fun making nicknames for you."

"Are we that close yet?" Jonghyun retorts, hiding his red face in the collar of his jacket. 

"You called me Minhyun-ie." Minhyun says in truimph. An additional weight is added as Minki suddenly jumps on Minhyun's back, and they all yowl as Minhyun drops the both of them into the floor.

"Hurry  _up."_ Dongho moans, leg bouncing up and down on the floor.

"Don't be a wet blanket." Aron says seriously, and Dongho gapes at him.

"Where did you learn that word?" He asks in astonishment. "I am not a wet blanket!"

"I'm not convinced." Aron intones with a straight face, shrieking as Dongho barrels towards him quickly. "Ah, go away!"

"Fat chance." Dongho growls, and Aron screams as Dongho shoves him off the chair and sits on his chest, bracing his knees on the floor.

"I'm your hyung, damn it!" Aron exclaims. 

"Nope, can't hear you." Dongho sings, and Minki picks himself up from the floor to roll him off Aron's heaving chest.

"I saved you, hyung!" He says, pumping a fist into the air, and Aron sits up, hacking his lungs out.

"Good job." He gasps, and Minhyun starts to laugh as Dongho and Minki descend into a play fight. Jonghyun giggles, and Minhyun looks at him with amazement.

"You laugh is cute, Jonghyun-ie." He elbows his side, and Jonghyun's face heats up again. "You like that name right, Jonghyun-ie?"

"Jonghyun-ah is fine." He mutters, and Minhyun's face lights up. 

"Sure, but only if you call me Minhyun-ie." He barters, and they both grin at each other. Until Aron comes and drapes his body over their shoulders, and Dongho and Minki let go of each other to exchange a wicked look.

Needless to say, they do walk home that day.

**OCTOBER 2010**

"Do you want breakfast?" Minhyun taps his cheek, and Jonghyun stirs against his blanket.

"Mmph." He mumbles. "None of you cook."

"Wow, thanks." Minhyun's voice sharpens, and Jonghyun opens an eye to see him scowling.  _Cute._ He thinks. "I was going to be nice-"

"I'll eat anything you cook." He appeases, dropping his head back onto the pillow. Minhyun stops shuffling around on the mattress, going completely silent. Jonghyun removes his head from his pillow to see his roommate's face flushed. "What's wrong with you? Are you sick?"

He sits up, ignoring the wave of dizziness that threatens to overcome him with the sudden movement. Placing the back of his palm on Minhyun's forehead, he asks: "You're not having a fever though?"

Minhyun pushes his hand away half-heartedly.

"I'm fine, now get up or we'll be late." He mutters. Jonghyun gets to his feet, kicking the blanket away and Minhyun rolls his eyes, crouching down to roll it for him. There's eggs and a pancake in a white dish set on the table, and he brushes his teeth before sitting down and taking a bite. Minhyun leans against the door frame.

"Is it good?" He asks, and Jonghyun swallows.

"I think I should be the one cooking." He says, ducking when Minhyun flings his pillow at him.

**OCTOBER 2010**

"No, Minhyun." Minki hisses, and Jonghyun pauses outside the vocal studios. "Stop being a wimp!"

"What's going on?" He asks, and Minhyun and Minki whirl around to face him. The expressions on their faces look shocked and terrified.

"Nothing." Minhyun blurts out, and Jonghyun eyes him suspiciously. "Really, stop worrying!"

"That's your job, isn't it?" Jonghyun teases, and Minhyun looks mortified.

"Since when do I- Hey! Hey! Kim Jonghyun!" Minhyun yells after him as he leaves after a high give from Minki. "Seriously, stop!"

"What?" He slows down his steps and Minhyun catches up to him quickly. 

"Tteobeokki?" Minhyun asks hopefully, fishing out a sad piece of ten dollar note from his pocket. Jonghyun ponders over it.

"Okay." He shrugs. "Let's go."

**NOVEMBER 2010**

"You debut next March." CEO Han says, and Jonghyun can't help the relieved sigh that escapes his lips. It's been three years. "Your debut track is being written right now."

Jonghyun pushes himself into training, making sure every move and every verse is uttered with precision. It's everything he has on the line. Minki loses weight, and Dongho too. Aron's Korean has improved by leaps and bounds. Minhyun is good too, of course.

Often, Jonghyun sends them home first and sleeps in the studio. If he's not in the studio, he feels weak and lazy. Tonight is no exception, and the others leave with worried backward glances he ignores. He's got to make it work, for all of them.

The agreement that Jonghyun would be leader had been set in place once Minhyun came in. Dongho was the first one he met, and he had proclaimed Jonghyun as the leader for dance practice. By the time Minki came, the leadership had extended to almost everything else: food, the time to sleep, practice... Minki accepted it. Aron accepted it. Minhyun accepted it.

Jonghyun didn't, but he did it anyway.

**DECEMBER 2010**

"Merry Christmas." He sings softly under his breath, bringing out the singular slice of cake meant to share among the five of them. Carefully, he shaves off the whipping cream he knows Minhyun hates. The lights Minki hung up in the room twinkle forlonly as they sit in a circle.

"Thanks, Jonghyun-ah." Dongho says, and he grins, setting it down on the floor. Minki lights the candle and they watch as it burns nearly to its stump before leaning in and blowing it out together. Aron immediately clasps his hands and closes his eyes to make a wish.

Later, when they are full from the leftovers of Christmas meals from their manager's wife's cooking and one fifth of a slice of cake, they clean up slowly. Before long, Minhyun has his head on Jonghyun's lap.

"Hey." Dongho nudges Minhyun off. "Stop sleeping on him. He's thin enough as it is."

"All because of that stupid instant noodle diet." Aron nods in agreement, and they chuckle at how progressively old he is starting to sound.

"Hyung, you talk like an old man." Minki chuckles.

"I hope we really debut." He continues.

 _This time._ Jonghyun thinks about meetings cut off and heads shaking  _no, not this time, Jonghyun-ah._

Three years is a long time. He sighs through stiff lips.

Maybe he'll actually debut this time.

**Author's Note:**

> i opened a twitter account so follow me on there!!! my username is @wildflower_kjh pls come & scream with me about nu'est w's comeback?? a work of art i love my capable boys so much lol
> 
> debut date - 15 March 2012  
> Minhyun began training in September 2010 and Jonghyun began training in March 2009.  
> Minki and Dongho started in March 2010. I couldn't find anything about Aron, but I'm going to assume he came in 2010 since Minhyun was reportedly the last member to join the line up.
> 
> tbh the ending is kind of sloppy but nu'est w sold more than 100k albums!! and their third day hasn't even ended?? shook by the power of our nu'ble omg


End file.
